Fluid pressure motor



March 22, 1949. A, J, BENT FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR Filed Sept. 27, 1945 INVENTOR ARTHUR JBENT JTTORNE Y tion. t In the accompanying drawing Fig. l vis a dia-y Patented Mar. 22, 1949 2,454,962 FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR Arthur J. Bent, Wilkinsburg, Pa., asslgnor to The Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerdlng,

Pa., a corporation ot Pe nnsylvania Application September 27, 1945, Serial No. 618,838 Claims. (Cl. 121-44) This invention relates to power motors of the iluid pressure responsive reciprocating piston type and has for an object the provision oi a novel power motor of this type.

An object of the invention is to provide a motor of the above mentioned typehaving novel means for cushioning or dampening the. action of the piston thereof whenvthe pistonnears the end of .its stroke.

l A further object of theinvention is to provide a motor of the. above mentioned type having al piston assemblage or arrangementwhereby the force transmitted therefrom to the piston rod under theinuence of any chosen uid pressure Will be reduced before the piston assemblage -or arrangement completes its stroke.

A'still further object of the invention is to vprc-- vide a motor of the above mentioned type having a piston assemblage or arrangement in which two piston elements move in unison, kunder the iniluence of uid under pressure, for a portion of their traverse to transmit power to the piston rod, and in which one piston element, asthe piston assemblage or arrangement approaches the end of its stroke, is rendered ineiective to transmit power to the piston rod while the other piston remains eectiveto transmit power tothe piston rod, and further in which the action of each pisment nears the end of its travel.-

ton element is cushionedor dampened as the elethe piston member 4 is slidably mounted. At-

tached to each end of the body portion, preferably by means of screwthreads, is a cap member 8 having anannular `stop lug or'fiange 9 which extends inwardly toward the axis of the body portion. Instead of employing an annular stop lug or flange as shown. a plurality -of circumferentially spaced lugs may be used. It will be apparent that if desired, f only one separate cap member may be used since the other cap member may be formed integral with the body portion.

.The stop lugs or flanges 9 of the cap members are provided for the purpose of engagement with the piston member 4 to form a couple` to transmit power from the piston member 3 tothe 'piston The distance between' the stop'lugsorilanges 9, at opposite ends of the pistonl member 3, iscon` s'iderabIy greater'than the thickness .ofthepis'tonl member B'fsc that v'c'zonsiderable relative movement between the piston members. f'and" 4 is possible.

' These and other objects will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invengrammatic view, mainly in section, of a fluid pressure motor embodying the invention; Fig. 2

` is a fragmentary view of the same illustratinga l modification lof 'the invention; fand Fig, -3 is a' view similarV to Fig. 2 and illustrating another modication of the invention.

According to the invention as illustrated in a Fig. 1, the iluid pressure motor comprises a cylinder casing` I anda piston assemblage 2-operat which is provided with an axial bore 'I in which vThe body portion-6 of the piston member 3 is provided" with a circumferential collar or guide portion I0 which has a sliding. 't with the interior surface of the wall ofthe cylinder. casing I and .whichis provided with a packing groove having mounted therein a packing ring.' II which engages `the interior surface of the-cylinderfto prevent leakage of uid under pressure past the guide portion. Thiscollar or guide. portion in this form of the invention is located midway between' the ends of the body portion Sandie preferably'integral with such-portion.

At each lend of. the piston member 3 the cap member 8 is provided with a peripheral 'guide collar L2 whichis adapted .to-slidably engage the interiorfsurface of .the'wall iofethe cylinder casing piston -member 3- to form an airtight seal between the chamber I3 and a chamber I6 at' the left-hand side of the piston assemblage, which chamber I6 is in constant open communication with a fluid pressure supply and release branch passage I1 provided in the Vcylinder rcasing.

Mounted on the' cylinder head atthe' other end of the cylinder casing isa gasket I8 which-is the wall of thecylindercasing andthe exterior surface of the body portion `of the piston member 1 adapted to be engagedl by the corresponding end' of the piston member 3 to form an airtight seal between the chamber I4 and a chamber Il at the righthand side o! the piston assemblage. which chamber I3 is in constant open communication with a iluld pressure supply and release branch passage 20 provided in the cylinder head.

It should here be mentioned that the guide co1- lars I2 do not provide an airtight seal between the chambers I3 and I4 and the chambers II and I9, respectively, but do serve to restrict the iiow of iluid from chamber IB or Il to the respective chamber I3 or Il, as the case may be, for reasons which will be hereinafter fully described.

The supply and vrelease branch passage I1 is connected to a fluid pressure supply and release passage 2| which is provided in the cylinder casing and which is in open communication with a fluid pressure supply and release pipe 22 and with the chamber I6 when the piston assemblage is at the right-hand end of the cylinder as shown in Fig. 1. Interposed in the branch passage I1 is a combined'check valve and choke element 23 which, when seated on a seat provided inthe cylinder casing, will restrict the ilow of fluid from the chamber 'I6 by way of .passage I1. This element is normally maintained seated by means of a light coil spring 24. The element comprises a guide stem 25 which is iluted to provide for a relatively unrestricted flow of iluld from the passage 2l to the chamber I6, when fluid under pressure unseats the valve of the element against the opposing action of spring 2l.

The supply and release branch passage 20 is connected to a supply and release passage 28 which is in open communication with a uid pressure supply and release pipe 21 and with chamber Il, there being interposed in the passage 20 a combined check valve and choke element 28 which is identical with the combined check valve and choke element 23 and which is normally maintained seated by means of a light coil spring 29. This element 28 functions to control the ilow of iluid from chamber I9 in the same manner as the element 23 functions to control the ilow of fluid from chamber IB.

It will be understood from the following description of the operation of the motor that when fluid underipressure from a suitable iluid pressure supply source is admitted to the chamber at one side of the piston assemblage 2, fluid under pressure is released from the chamber at the other side of the assemblage. In order to accomplish this any suitable control valve arrangement may be provided, such for instance, as a single manually operative valve device which when operated to one position willy establish an open communication from the fluid pressure supply source to one of the fluid pressure supply and release pipes and will. also establish an open communication from the other fluid pressure supply and release pipe to the atmosphere. When turned to a second position the control valve device would reverse the supply and release communications. Since such control valve devices are well known in the fluid pressure art and since such a device forms no partv of the present invention, a showing and further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Operation supply and release branch passage 2l, the flow restricting passage in the combined check valve and choke element 23 and the iluid pressure sup ply and release passage 2l and pipe 21. Let it further be assumed that the piston assemblage has moved under the iniiuence of the pressure of iluld in chamber Il to the position in whichV it is shown in Fig. 1.

With the piston assemblage in this position, the right-hand end of the piston member 3 will be in sealing engagement with the gasket I3. Since the piston member 3 is stationary due to such engagementwith the gasket, the piston member 4 will move in the direction of the right hand relative to the piston member 3 under the iniluence of fluid pressure differential created across the piston by the supply of fluid imder pressure to chamber Il and the release of huid .under pressure from the chamber Il. The release o! fluid under pressure from the chamber is at a relatively slow rate as governed by the flow capacity of the ilow restricting passage 2l in the combined check valve and choke element 28, the valve portion of the element being seated as shown. Due to this slow rate of release of fluid under pressure from the chamber I3, the pressure of fluid in the chamber, due to the displacement o! the piston, will serve to yieldably resist or oppose movement of the piston and thm cushion or slow down the speed of the piston so that it will not strike the lug or ilange l on the right-hand end of 'the piston member 3 with undue or damaging force.

Assuming now that the piston -member 4 is in engagement with the lug 9 on the piston member 3 and the piston member 3 is in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1 and it is desired to l move the piston assemblage in the direction toward the left hand, fluid under pressure is released from chamber I8 and fluid under pressure is admitted to the chamber I3 by way of the suppiy 'and release pipe 21 and branch passage 2li, the pressure of iiuid in the branch passage unseating the combined check valve and choke element 28 against the opposing pressure of the spring 29.

Fluid under pressure admitted to chamber I3 acts on both the right-hand face of the piston member 3 and the right-hand face of the piston member l, and since, as Just described, the lug l on ,the right-hand end of the piston member 3 is .in abutting engagement with the right-hand face of the piston member 4, both piston members` move in unison in the direction of the lefthand and thus actuate the piston rod l and therebyany element or elements which may be operatively associated therewith. It will here be noted that due to the power couple between the two piston members'the power exerted by both piston members is transmitted to the piston rod l.

Fluid under pressure also flows from the fluid pressure supply and release passage 2l to the chamber I4 but this will have no effect upon the movement of the piston assemblage since the areas of the collars I0 and I2 over which the fluid pressure in the chamber acts are substantially equal. When, however, the collar I2 at the right-hand end of the piston member 3 passes the orifice of the passage 2l, such passage will admit iluid under -pressure to the chamber I9. As a result of this, the uid pressures on both sides of the combined check valve and choke element 28- will equalize, whereupon the spring 2s will act to seat the valve portion of the element, thus conditioning the element for restricting the release of iluid under pressure from the chamber I9 whenever the piston assemblage is moved again toward the right-hand end of the cylinder casing I. y

It will be understood that until such time as the collar I2 at the left-hand end oi' the piston member 3 passes the orice oi passage 2t the release of uid under pressure from chamber I6 will be by way of this passage. However, as soon as the collar reaches a position :lust beyond the passage the release of fluid under pressure will be at a retarded rate by way oi the branch pas sage il and the combined check valve and choke element 23; Since the guide collar does not form an airtight seal with the interior surface of the cylinder casing. iluid may leak past the collar to the chamber I3 and from thence escape by way of passage 2i. The rate of flow oi duid from the chamber It will be such that if the piston assemblage is traveling at such a rate of' speed that the piston member is liable'to damage the end of the cylinder or to become damaged by the cylinder, the pressure in chamber i8 will be increased, due to the displacement of the piston, sumciently to reduce the speed of the piston member u so that it will complete its traverse without danger of damage to the casing or the member.

When the piston member i comes to rest in sealing engagement with the gasket l the member can no longer transmit power to the piston member d so that the piston member e alone serves to transmit power to the piston rod 5. It will be apparent that since the piston member 3 is stopped, the eective area of the piston assemblage over which the uid pressure acts is decreased, so that the resistance offered-by the load being moved by the piston rod will serve to decrease the speed at which the piston member is moving. It will also be apparentthat since there is no longer a. communication from the chamber It past the guide collar i2 to the chamber I3 through which uid may escape from chamber It, the passage in the combined check valve and choke element 23 will so retard the rate of flow of iuid from the chamber it that if the piston is traveling at a speed fast enough that it would strike the stop lug 9 on the lefthand end of the piston member 3 with undueV force, the piston member d, as itis displaced relative to the piston member 3, causes the pressure of iiuid in chamber I6 resisting movement of the piston member d to increase, thus the uid pressure in chamber I t serves to cushion the action of the piston member t. From this it will be seen that by eliminating the piston member t as a powertransmitting element and -by cushioning the action of the piston member d as it moves relative to the piston member 3, the gentle movement oi the piston member t to the end of its stroke is insured. In some instances the uid pressure motor may. -be suddenly relieved of its load before the piston assemblage has completed its stroke and before the supply ofiiuid under pressure to the cylinder casing can be cut od, but the cushioning of the piston in the manner hereinbefore described will, under such conditions, effectively prevent the piston assemblage from slamming against an end of the casing.

If when the piston assemblage has reached the position in which it is shown in Fig. l an operator 'should decide to reverse the direction of movement of the piston assemblage he will op` erate the control valvedevice to admit uid under pressure to chamber I9 and to release iluid 6 under pressure from chamber Il.- The piston member l since it has no load imposed thereon and has only to overcome, the normal friction between itself andi-the casing I vand the piston member d, will quickly move in the direction of the left hand relative to the piston member d under the influence of the pressure of fluid in chamber It. This movement of the piston member 8 relative to thepiston member Il will continue until such time as the lug s on the right-hand end ofthe piston member 3 engages the righthand face oiy the piston member d, at which time both piston members will move in unison and thereby apply power to the piston rod 5. As the piston assemblage continues tov move in the directional the left hand the piston members will be cushioned in the same manner as hereinbefore described.

Description of the apparatus of Figure 2 In this form of the invention the cylinder casing i instead of having an integral head as shown in Fig. 1 is provided with a separate head which has screw threaded connection with the casing and which is provided with an internal groove having mounted therein a gasket 3l which engages the exterior surface of the casing to form an air tight seal between the head and the casing..

The piston assemblage comprises piston members 32 and @t which di'er slightly in construction from that of the corresponding piston mem- -bers 3 and d of the i'orm of the invention shown. in Fie. 1.

The piston member 32 is of annular box like form having at each of its ends an annular seat ,ing rib et which, at one end, is adapted-to seal against the gasket l5 located at one end of the cylinder casing and which, at the other end, is adapted to seal against arsuitable gasket at the corresponding end of the cylinder casing.- This piston member is provided with a lug 9 and at the other end is provided with a ring 35 which' has screw-threaded engagement with a member, which lug and ringare for engagement with the piston member t3 which is operatively mounted in the piston member 32.

The piston member 3g is also provided with an annular guide collar tu having spaced grooves therein in which is mounted packing rings .37. Between the grooves for the packing rings el?, the collar is provided with a groove in which there is mounted a lubricant saturated ring 38 of felt or other suitable material which engages the interior surface of the cylinder casing to spread lubricant evenly over said surface.

In this form or the invention the iiuid presi sure supply and release passage 2l enters the cylinder casing near the left-hand end thereof so that very little cushioning of the piston member d2' will be realized, however, vin instances where a more eectlve cushioning action is required, the passage 2l will be made to enter the cylinderk at a point located further to the right and the diameter of the piston will be increased to decrease the space te between the member and the cylinder casing sudlciently to choke the iiow of fluid from the chamber it to the passage 2l.

The cushioning of the piston member 33'wil1, in either instance, be accomplished in substantially the same manner as hereinbefore de scribed in connection with the piston member d .of the' fluid pressure. motor illustrated in Fig. 1.

.As shown the combined check valve and choke element is made in the form of a disc 4.0 having a now restricting passage 4I therein for controlling the release of iiuid under pressure from the chamber I3, the disc being biased toward its seated position by a light coil spring 42. At the other end of the cylinder casing a corresponding combined check valve and choke element will be provided for controlling the release of iluid under pressure from the chamber I9 at the righthand side of the piston assembly.

It will here be understood that while the description of this form or the invention has been limited more or less' to the left-hand end of the motor, the right-hand end will be constructed in substantially the same manner so that the cushioning of the piston assemblage will be effective as the assemblage approaches either end of its stroke. The cylinder head at the right-hand end or the cylinder casing and not shown. will of course be provided with a piston rod guide which may be the same as shown in Fig. 1.-

Description of the apparatus of Fig. 3

In this form of the invention the construction of the uid pressure motor diiers from that of the motor shown in Fig. 2 in that each of the sealing ribs 34 on the piston member 32 is made of less diameter than that of the corresponding rib in Fig. 2. The gaskets which these ribs engage are also made of smaller diameter. This arrangement, as will now be described, w'ill serve to prevent an unwanted operation of the piston assemblage under certain operating conditions in some instances.

In cases where the fluid pressure motor is employed. the mechanism which is operated by the motor may be such that after the piston member 32 is seated on the gasket I5 and before the piston member 33 has made its full traverse, the load, instead of resisting movement of the motor, acts in the opposite direction to assist the fluid under pressure in moving the piston member 4 (Fig. 1) in the direction it is already traveling. When this occurs the sudden displacement of the piston member 4 may cause the pressure in chamber I6 to be increased above that of the iluid in chamber I9. This high pressure in chamber I6 of the motor shown in Fig. 2 for instance, may cause the piston member 32 to move to the right relative to the piston member 34' and connect the chamber I3 to the passage 2l, so that uid in chamber I6 would be rapidly released to the atmosphere. This would of course destroy the iluid pressure cushion and the piston assemblage would as a consequence slam against the end casing with undue force,

By reducing the diameter of the sealing rib 34, the area of the face of the piston member 32 which is exposed to the pressure of iluid in chamber I6 is considerably less than that exposed to the pressure of iluid in chamber I9, so that any excess pressure in chamber I6 will not move the piston member 32 relative to the piston member 33 and thus prevent the above-mentioned unwanted and objectionable operation of the piston assemblage.

Having now described my invention, what I.

claim as new and .desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a iiuid pressure motor, a cylinder, a piston comprising two movable piston elements operatively mounted in said cylinder, a piston rod secured to one piston element, said piston elements cooperating to form a pressure face having a certain area over which fluid under pressure may act to transmit power to said piston rod, agasketior.

8 sealing engagement with and for also limiting thereby the distance or travel oi' the other piston element to render the element ineiiective to transmit power to said piston rod, the said one piston element being capable o1 continuing to transmit power to said piston rod after said other piston element has been rendered ineii'ective. an exhaust communication through which iiuld at the other side o1 the piston ilows from the cylinder at a relatively fast rate during full traverse of said other piston element while both piston elements are in motion, and means rendered effective by the engagement of said other piston element with said gasket for restricting the rate of ilow of fluid through said exhaust communication so as to produce a iluid pressure cushion for yieldably opposing movement of said one piston element and thereby said said other piston element.

2. In a fluid pressure motor, a cylinder, a piston comprising two movable piston elements operatively mounted in said cylinder, a piston rod operatively connected with one piston element, said piston elements cooperating to form a pressure fa'ce having a certain area over which iiuld under pressure may act to transmit power to said piston rod. a gasket for sealing engagement with and for also limiting thereby the distance of travel of the other piston element to render the elepiston rod relative to ment ineffective to transmit power to said piston rod, the said one piston element being capable of movement relative to said other piston element when said other piston element is in engagement with said gasket, a communication through which fluid under pressure is admitted to said cylinder to act on one side of said piston. an exhaust communication through which uid at the other side of the piston ilows from the cylinder at a relatively fast rate during full traverse of 4o said other piston element while both piston eletive to transmit power to said piston rod, saidv ments are in motion, and choke means rendered solely effective by the engagement of said other piston element with said gasket for restricting the rate of flow of iluid through said exhaust communication so as to produce a iiuid pressure cushion for yieldably opposing movement of said other piston element relative to said one piston element. l

3. In a iluid pressure motor, a cylinder, a piston .operatively mounted in said cylinder and comprising two piston elements, one element slidably engaging the wall of said cylinder and the other element being slidably mounted in said one element, a piston rod operatively connected to said other element, means whereby the piston elements cooperate to transmit power to said piston rod in response to iluid under pressure which may .be admitted to the cylinder at one side oi' the piston, a gasket associated with said cylinder for sealing engagement with said one element and to also limit thereby the distance of travel of the element and thereby render the element ineiiecother element being capable of movement relative to said one element when said one element is in engagement with said -gasket,a communication through which iluid under pressure is admitted to said cylinder to act on one side of said piston, an exhaust communication through which fluid at the other side of the piston flows from said cylinder at a relatively fast rate during full traverse oi "said one element while said piston elements move in the direction toward said gaskiet, `and choke means rendered solely effective. when'saidgone element sealingly engages said gasket, to decrease the rate of ow of fluid from the cylinder through said exhaust communication.

4. In a, iiuid pressure motor, a cylinder, a piston operatively mounted in said cylinder and comprising two piston elements, one element slidably engaging the wall of said cylinder and the other element being slldably mounted in said one element, a piston rod operatively connected to said other element, means causing said piston elements to cooperate to transmit power to said piston rod in response to the pressure of fluid which may be admitted to the cylinder at Vone side of the piston, a gasket associated with said cylinder for sealing engagement with said one element and to also limit thereby the distance of travel of the one element and thereby render the one element ineffective to transmit power to said piston rod, said other element being capable of movement relative to said one element when said one element is in engagement with said gasket, a communication through which uid under pressure is admitted to said cylinder to act on one side of said piston, an exhaust communication through which fluid at the other side of the piston iiows from said cylinder at a relatively fast rate during full traverse of said one element While said piston elements move in the direction toward said gasket, and a choke rendered eiiective to alone decrease the rate of ow of uid from the cylinder through said exhaust 10 ments to cooperate to transmit power to said piston rod in response to the pressure of fluid which may be admitted to the cylinder at one side of the piston, a gasket associated with the end of said cylinder for sealing engagement with the outer end of said end portion and t0 thereby limit the travel of the one element and thereby render the one element ineffective to transmit power to said piston rod, said other element being movable relative to said one'ele ment when said one element is in engagement with said gasket, a communication through which fluid under pressure may be admitted to said cylinder to act on one side of said piston, an ex.l haust communication through which fluid under pressure may flow from said cylinder at a relatively fast rate and disposed in the wall a distance away from the end less than the length of said end portion, and 'a restricted exhaust communication encircled by said gasket so that the rate of flow of uid from the cylinder will be reduced when said one element engages said gasket.

. ARTHUR J. BENT.

REFERENCES CITED The`following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

